The Wanderer
by Not Yet
Summary: Tenchi walks through life with no clear direction or expected destination.
1. Chapter 1

The Wanderer

Wahsu: To her love was something scientific: You could easily pin-point the chemical influxes in the brain that react to an outside stimulus (i.e. pheromones produced by the other desired mate) which causes a chemical reaction known as Love.

Akeya: To her love was structured: Two people are destined to be with each other. To meet, to fall in love, to marry, to have children, to grow old together, and to watch their children enter the love cycle.

Sasuami: To her love was a recipe: All there needs to be is the right ingredients and the right amount of patience. Simple, but too many people try and complicate love. And when you do that, before you know it, the oven's on fire!

Mihoshi: To her love was an accident: You can lay out the best made plan to get what you want, but life will always find a way to surprise you. So it's better to just sit back and see where life takes you.

Ryoko: To her love was the quintessence of freedom: Your heart sits in a cell waiting for your lover to appear with the key. Then when you're free, you're not bound by anything or anyone. Why should you be?

Noyuobi: To him love was physical as well as spiritual: The heart is surrounded by flesh and one must have an appreciation of the flesh before anyone can fall in love. But once you're in love with someone, no one else will be able to compete.

Yosho: To him love was bittersweet: You can forsake it, but it will always find a way to grasp your heart again; no matter how hard you try and say to yourself, "I'll never fall in love again."

Tenchi: To him…to him. Well to be honest he didn't know what love was.

Dark cumulonimbus clouds towered before the tranquil Okayama region in Japan. Growing in size, these dark giants moved with no sense of urgency closer to the region in question. The weather man, on channel four, expected there to be an eighty-seven percent chance of thunderstorms occurring around late evening and to continue until early in the morning. The inhabitants of the Masaki household however, went to bed ignorant of this development. But as the night dragged on flashes of light could be seen, and distant rumbles of thunder could be heard. Pouring rain happened on the house first, blanketing it under sheets of water, causing slight stirrings on a few of the sleeping inhabits. Closer and closer it came, until suddenly the house was flooded with light and mere moments later the home was engulfed in the overwhelming boom of thunder.

Tenchi opened his eyes quickly and scanned his room startled by the noise. He blinked a few times and he heard the soft repetitious sound of the rain on the roof. His eyes closed hypnotized by melody and sleep was about to reclaim him when again lightening struck with the deafening thunderclap following at its heels. Tenchi sighed hitting his head against the pillow. Nothing else to do he waited until lightening flared up again and counted the seconds before he could hear thunder. It proved quickly useless, because there was little time in between the light flare and the sound of thunder. And what were the rules again? Every three second it was a mile away or was it every second it was three miles again. Sighing, he decided that it probably doesn't matter if there was not a lot of seconds separating them. Again his eyes closed, but he was rudely interrupted by the clamorous noise. His hands went up to his eyes to try and rub the sleep away as he shifted his body to a sitting position. His eyes drifted to his clock and with it blinking midnight over and over again that proved futile. Yawning he got up from his warm bed and went downstairs to get some water. Tenchi let his feet guide him as his eyes were still closed. Instinctually as his foot reached the stairs his hand went up to grasp the rail, and he walked slowly down not wanting to open his eyes. Over head rain continued to pour and occasionally the choice weapon of Zeus would strike the Earth causing the accursed _boom_ to follow. Opening his eyes when he reached the bottom of the steps, Tenchi led himself over to the kitchen. Reaching the destination Tenchi grabbed a glass from the cabinet, and walked over to the sink and turned the cold water on. Lazily his eyes looked out the window and he saw water dripping from the window quickly.

_That's good_ he thought sleepily, _at least it will be done sooner._

Yawning again, he walked over to the table and sat down. He brought the glass to his lips and drank slowly, not wanting to rush it. After taking a small drink he put the glass down to the table, and closed his eyes half-way not focusing on anything in particular. Light flooded the dining room area and second's later thunder could be heard. Tenchi redoubled his efforts to remember the rule when a sound interrupted his thought process. The sound of footsteps, while compared to the thunder was like trying to compare toothpicks to red wood trees, were still loud enough to be heard in the otherwise silent dining area. Sighing, Tenchi turned his head and he saw that it was a woman that was approaching him. Now that wasn't surprising since woman outnumber men in this house hold three to one, but in the dark (and with his eyes more closed then open) he couldn't tell who it was. Shaking his head he picked up his glass and drank from it again quicker this time to try and return to his room. Lightening decided to make his appearance known again and soon illuminated the room again. After about six or seven seconds thunder could be heard, but more distantly this time. Tenchi nodded to himself thinking that he'll be able to get to sleep easier now, when he felt a hand rustle up his hair. Startled Tenchi attempted to break away from the contact but ended up only leaning against the aggressor in the first place. Opening his eyes widely he saw the smiling face of Ryoko lording over him.

She rose her eyebrows up and chuckled slightly before saying, "Couldn't sleep either?"

Tenchi sighed, straighten up his body, and took another drink finishing his water before hoarsely replying, "Nah, storm woke me up. Planning on going back to bed soon."

"Ah I see," Ryoko said before sitting next to him, "Want me to join you?"

Tenchi just looked over to her sleepily but filled with meaning, which she sheepishly replied, "I guess not."

Nodding in agreement Tenchi again closed his eyes. He was not going to enjoy the chores in the morning if he couldn't get to sleep soon. Opening his eyes slightly he looked around for a clock. Upon not seeing one he asked Ryoko what time it was.

"Um, I'm not sure," she replied, before thinking carefully, "here let me find out."

She then faded out of existence with a familiar sound and seconds later she returned with a small smile on her face. "It is," she said waving her hand in front of her, happy that she could do something helpful to Tenchi, "12:00 blinking."

Tenchi hung his head, and said annoyed, "That's ok, I didn't really need to know anyway."

Ryoko raised her eyebrow at him, confused asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

Using his hand to support him, he shook his head weakly answering, "No, all the clocks are going to say that because of the storm."

"That's good, I'd hate for you to be mad at me."

Tenchi smiled good-naturedly and turned his head towards her and said, "I couldn't stay mad at any of you girls for too long anyway."

With a great effort Tenchi stood up, and looked down to where Ryoko was sitting, "Well I think I'm going to go back to bed. I'm pretty tired."

Yawning for effect, Ryoko replied, "I think I will too. But you do look tired, get some rest handsome."

Too tired to blush, Tenchi just nodded absent mindedly and said, "G'night."

"Good night Tenchi."

Using his feet again as his guide Tenchi found the stairs and he reached up to grab the rail. Each foot rested a moment on the stair before reaching up that impossible distance to the next stair. Feeling as if lead weights were tied to his shoulders and head, Tenchi fought with each step until he eventually reached, with Herculean effort, his room. Opening the door he shuffled to his bed and plopped down on it unceremoniously. Rolling until he was on his back, he got under the covers and rested his head on his pillow. By Morpheus's will, Tenchi drifted off to sleep.

Ryoko sat at the table a little longer and heard Tenchi go up the stairs. Smiling she grabbed his glass and faded into the kitchen. Disposing of the dish in the sink, her eyes lazily looked out the window and saw the rain drops slowly slide down the window pane.

_That's too bad _she thought musingly _it was over too quick_

She sighed happily for being able to be alone with Tenchi, even if it was just for a few moments. Ryoko remembered the brief contact they had and smiled fondly. Chuckling slightly she decided that she would watch him sleep again. Fading slightly behind and above her she found her self hovering over Tenchi. He was as tired as he looked, and looked like he was already in a deep sleep. She smiled, tentatively brushing a stray hair out of his face. Upon the contact he inhaled deeply, almost making Ryoko having to make a quick get away, but Tenchi didn't wake up and Ryoko could stay a little longer staring at him. Resting her chin on the palm of her hand she continued to imagine what the future would hold for the both of them. Distantly she heard the thunder recede and brief flashes of light.

_More to come in the next few days-Not yet_


	2. Chapter 2

The Wanderer

"That's no good."

Tenchi sighed deeply and then knelt down to look at the ruined crop of carrots. He then smiled sadly and thought that Ryo-Ohki would be very upset, and not to mention hungry over this development. Scratching the back of his head he wondered what he could do to make this better.

'Maybe,' he thought, 'Washu could do something about this?'

He then nodded, satisfied that the self-appointed genius could do it easily, and got up from his hunches with a little less weight on his shoulders. Rocking his head side to side to release the tension he had there from his less then perfect rest the previous night, he picked up the empty basket and made his way back to the house. There was still dark heavy clouds looming over head, and yet the sun poked through several pockets creating a pillar of light. Tenchi walked with his hands holding the straps to the basket and his eyes looking in front of him. He wondered if the neighbors were ever fooled by his deception. That all the crazy stuff they heard happening at his house was actually something completely normal and rational. Chuckling a little bit, he remembered how jealous all his classmates were about his living situation, but how could he explain it to them? Shaking his head he realized how stiff his shoulders really were. The basket alone felt like it was loaded with stones.

'Maybe,' he thought, 'a nice soak would make it feel better?'

Tenchi went to the garage as quietly as he could so that the cabbit wouldn't realize the misfortunate that happened to the carrots. Tiptoeing to and from the garage to the men side of the steam bath was quite a feat considering the cabbit's supernatural hearing, but miraculously he was able to accomplish it with no problem. Karate-chopping his shoulders to try and relieve the tension he quickly scanned the bathing area to make sure there were no surprises. Upon not finding anyone Tenchi disrobed and slid in to the warm pool and let loose a quiet sigh of relief. He sunk deeper and deeper into the pool until nothing but his nose and eyes were above water level, and he breathed in deeply the steam. A bubble of a contended chuckle rose from the depths and he closed his eyes and leaned back. Moments where he was completely by himself didn't happen to often, and he chose to relish them. It wouldn't be too long until something would happen that would require him to become some sort of peace maker. Sometimes he would wonder what they would do without him. And then again, he thought, maybe I don't want to.

'That's enough self-indulgence,' he thought, 'time to go to Washu and see if she can help with the carrots.'

He got up, dried himself, and then slowly put back on his clothes. Tenchi seemed to slide into his shirt, and was happy to find out that the bath had done wonders to his shoulders. Walking out of the men's side required going through the women's side of the bath and Tenchi very carefully checked to make sure nobody was there. Satisfied that there wasn't anyone he walked through and was startled to see the door open and Princess Ayeka walk in wearing nothing but a towel. He immediately tilted his head down and found out that he was in fact missing a sock. Confused he wondered when he had lost that sock.

"Ah," begun a very embarrassed princess of the most powerful faction in interplanetary forces, "Lord Tenchi I didn't think that you had returned from working at the field."

Tenchi smiled faintly, embarrassed as well, and said, "Oh yeah, um, I just got back. I wanted to take a real quick bath, before I ask Washu about something."

He couldn't see it, but she raised her eyebrow at this, and asked, "What is it about? Maybe I could help?"

He closed his eyes and waved his hands in front of him palm out and quickly said, "Oh no, no I don't need to bother you Lady Ayeka with something like this. It's um," Tenchi fidgeted as he tried to think of something to say that would not implicate that the cabbit's precious staple food was ruined, "nothing really, well I better be going."

Nervously laughing Tenchi walked out of the bath with his eyes closed and promptly ran straight in to the door. Opening his one eye halfway and rubbing his forehead with his left hand, he opened the door with his right.

Behind him Ayeka was looking at him suspiciously, clearly he was hiding something, but if it was something terrible he would have told her. She smiled fondly, and walked over to the bath and slowly dipped into the water. The bath always had this affect on her. Ayeka leaned back and sighed contently. The steam filled her lungs and seemed to stroke a hand through her hair. For an instant she imagined her loves hand was the steam. But the moment faded.


End file.
